Broadspire News

Broadspire responds to claims processing, payment needs in wake of Hurricane Katrina

PLANTATION, FLA., SEPTEMBER 7, 2005 - We at Broadspire extend our deepest sympathies to those who have been impacted by Hurricane Katrina. We are concerned about our clients and their employees in the affected area, particularly those who may be worried about ongoing workers' compensation and disability payments. We have developed an update on our office locations and information about what Broadspire is doing to make sure we can continue processing claims and making payments to those in the Gulf Coast region.

• Broadspire does not have any major offices in the region affected by Hurricane Katrina. We have been in contact with our resident adjusters and care managers in the affected states. Most are able to work at this time; we are sending equipment and making other arrangements for those who either had to leave home or who do not have power. Our disability claims operations, located in Plantation, Florida, and the northeastern United States, were unaffected by the storm.
• Where resident workers' compensation adjusters are not able to work, claims will be temporarily handled out of our Dallas, Houston and Atlanta offices. Our Pensacola office also will provide backup if necessary. We will temporarily shift cases to care managers in unaffected areas, where necessary.
• Employers and employees should continue to use normal procedures to report claims. We will increase intake staff where claim volume warrants.
• We have identified all open workers' compensation and disability claims in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana . We are personally calling and verifying that all claimants can be reached and that we can handle ongoing claims without incident. Our account managers, adjusters and care managers are working with clients to find any employee who has not yet been located, and will continue to do so until we successfully contact all claimants.
• We are continuing to release payments to a claimant's last known address, unless instructed otherwise by the U.S. Postal Service or a client. The majority of long-term disability claimants receive payments via direct deposit, so most LTD payments should not be impacted.
• We are reviewing our options to mail checks to claimants in areas that do not have postal service at this time. The U.S. Postal Service is setting up emergency procedures to get checks and other mail to individuals who are on scheduled payments, such as Social Security. We are following these arrangements closely and will make use of them if it works best for our clients and their employees.
• We are contacting medical providers in areas where postal service has been suspended to determine alternative mailing addresses for payments.

Broadspire stands ready to assist our clients in any way we can during this difficult time. We will continue to post updates on the status of our efforts to reach claimants and make sure they receive payments in a timely manner. If a customer or business partner needs additional information, please feel free to call your account manager or regular Broadspire contact at any time.

Dennis Replogle
President and Chief Executive Officer